Spraying attachment for rotary lawnmower



June 7, 1960 A. R. MULLIN SPRAYING .s'mcuusm FOR Romy uvmuom-m FiledDec. 31, 1956 United States Patent SPRAYING ATTACHMENT FOR RUIARYLAWNMOWER Archie R. Mullln, 522 Osage, Neodesha, Kans.

Filed Dec. 31, 1956, Ser. No. 631,819

Claims. (Cl. 239-223) This invention relates to the field of sprayingapparatus for use in spraying liquid weed killer, insecticide,fertilizer or the like upon a lawn or garden area. More particularly,the invention contemplates an improved spray forming and dispensingattachment especially adapted for use inconiunction with structure'ofaconi ventional, power type, rotary lawn mover.

,The invention further relates'to an improvement upon the structuredisclosed in my copending application for United States Letters PatentSerial No. 603,094, entitled Rotary Lawn Mower Spraying Attachment,filed August 9, 1956, of which this is a continuation-in-part.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide improved sprayingmeans adapted for converting a liquid material into a line spray or mistand for forcibly directing such spray downwardly against a well definedarea of ground being traversed with the spray being applied to theground in substantially uniform quantity throughout such area. i 7

It is another important object of this invention to provide a sprayingattachment adapted for use upon a conventional, rotary-type lawn mowereither when the blade of the latter is left on for simultaneousoperation of the mower blade and the spraying attachment, or when themowing blade has been removed for operation of the spraying attachmentalone by the power means forming a part of the lawn mower assembly.

It is another important object of this invention to provide such aspraying attachment which may be easily emplaced upon and. removed fromthe vertical power shaft normally provided in conventional, rotary lawnmowers.

It is another important object of the invention to pro vide such a sprayattachment which includes battle means disposed in the path of travel ofa stream of liquid material for breaking the same into a spray by impactand further baflle means for creating a downwardly directed, artificialcurrent of air for forcibly carrying the spray against the ground.

Still other important objects of the invention, including certainsignificant details .of construction, will be made clear or becomeapparent as the following description of the invention progresses.

in the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational 'view of one form ofconventional, rotary, power lawn mower showing the apparatusparticularly contemplated by this invention in operative dispositionthereon, a part of the mower carriage being broken away and shownvincross section for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1illustrating the improved attachment in bottom plan, with parts beingbroken away;

Fig. -3-is a cram-sectional view taken on irregular line III-III of Fig.2; v

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the attachment per se;

.Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the attachment,

2,939,636 Patented June 7, 1960 persstakenfromthedireetionofoneofthesetsof battle means thereon; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on lineVIVI of Fig. 1.

Although the attachment of my mentioned copending application operatessatisfactorily for many purposes, it has been found that the improvedstructure provided by the present invention possesses advantagesthereover, particulsrly with respect to the definition of the margins ofthe area being sprayed and the uniformity with which the spray isdistributed throughout the area being treated.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows one form ofconventional, power-operated, rotary lawn mower generally designated 10,having a mobile carriage 12 provided with a number of wheels 14, therebeing a prime mover 16 mounted on the carriage 12 and having arotatable, vertical power shaft 18 extending through a bearing sleeve 20secured to the underside of the carriage 12. As shown forillustrativepurposes only, the prime mower 16 may comprise :an electricmotor, although it will be understood that the invention is equallyapplicable to a power mower 10 in which the motive power for a rotatablevertical shaft 18 is provided by an internal combustion engine havingfuel storage means (not shown) mounted upon the carriage 12.

This invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for use inconjunction with'such a mower l0 including a storage tank 22 forreceiving liquid material to be dispensed through an inlet 24, whichtank 22 may be held upon the carriage 12 by any suitable means such asclamps 26. The tank 22 is provided with an outlet port 28 to which isconnected an outlet pipe 30 having a manual flow regulation valve' 32interposed therein. Liquid outlet pipe 30 extends through an opening 34in the top of carriage 12 and terminates as at 36 (see Fig. 3) in anopen, downwardly directed spout adapted for discharging liquid from thetank 22 into the spraying attachment generally designated by the numeral40.

\As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, the attachment 40 may be installedupon the lower end of the power shaft 18 for, rotation therewith withthe rotary mower blade 42 conventionally forming a part of the mower 10also mounted on the shaft 18 for rotation therewith below the attachment40. Alternatively, where it is desired to spray only without mowing, itwill be apparent that the blade 42 may be removed from the shaft 18 andreplaced, if necessary for the purpose of holding the attachment 40securely upon the shaft 18, with a suitable washer (not shown). Althoughthe mounting means provided on the power shafts 18 of mowers 10 ofdifferent manufacture vary somewhat, it will be understood that anysuitable, frictional holding means may be employed. For purposes ofillustration, Fig. 6 shows one common type of mower power shaft 18having a downwardly directed shoulder 44 and a lowermost shaft stretch46 of lesser diameter than the portion of shaft 18 above the shoulder44.

A number of space-occupying and friction washers.

generally indicated in Fig. 6 at 48, may be provided upon the stretch 46of shaft 18, the stretch 46 then passed through a hole 50 in the bottomwall 52 of attachment 40, the stretch 46 then passed through themounting hole 54 conventionally provided in the mower blade 42, and thewhole assembly may then be secured by means of a frictional washer 56below the blade 42 held in, place ing circumferential side portion 60and an annular, upstanding flange 62 spaced inwardly from the sideportion 60 intermediate the latter at d the opening 59. The space withinthe flange 62 is, as will be most clear in Fig. 6, adapted to receivethe washers 48 and shaft 18, together with such other structure as maybe provided for mounting the attachment 4d upon the shaft i8. Flange 62also defines, however, the inner boundary of an open top compartment 64closed at its bottom by the bottom wall 52 and at its outer extremity bythe side portion 6t? of attachment dd. As will be clear from Fig. 3, thespout portion 36 of liquid delivery pipe 30 extends into the compartment64 from the open top thereof, the relationship being such that nophysical interference will occur between the attachment 40 and the spoutportion 36 during rotation of the attachment 40.

An outwardly extending, annular concavity 66 opening about its entireinner circumference upon the compartment 64, is provided within the sideportion 60 of attachment 40. A foraminous annular screen 68 is disposedwithin the compartment 64 adjacent the side portion 60 for separatingthe compartment 64 into an inner chamber between the screen 68 andflange 62 and an outer chamber enclosed by the side portion 60 and thescreen 68. Such screen 68 serves to filter out solid particlesdischarged from the spout 36 into the inner chamber portion ofcompartment 64 during flow by centrifugal force of such liquid materialthrough the screen 68 into the outer chamber or concavity 66 when theattac'hment 40 is being rotated.

In the preferred embodiment, the side portion 60 is provided with a pairof opposed outlet ports 70 communicating with the outer chamber portion66 of compartment 64. During rotation of the attachment 40 liquid withinthe compartment 64, and particularly the outer chamber portion 66thereof, will flow by centrifugal force in a stream outwardly throughthe outlet ports 70 There is provided on the attachment'dtl adjacenteach outlet port 70 an inner baflle structure generally designated 72having an outwardly, downwardly and rearwardly extending portion 74above the outlet 70, and a vertical portion 76 extending downwardly fromthe portion 74 to a level below the port 70, it being noted that theterm rearwardly is used with relation to the direction of normalrotation of the attachment 4% when the prime mover 16 is operated.

The stream of liquid emanating from each port 76 impinges, at least inlarge part, upon the portion 76 of the corresponding inner battle means72, which tends to effect a partial break-down of the liquid intoseparated particles. As the attachment 40 rotates, the downwardlysloping portion 74 of the inner baifle means 72 then strikes the liquidparticles formed by portion 76 and any portion of the liquid stream thatmay remain unbroken to accomplish a further break-down of the liquidmaterial into a fine mist or spray. By virtue of the downward slope ofportion 74 of baffie means 72, the spray is directed downwardly as itemerges from the baflle means 72.

Adjacent each inner baflle means 72, there is further provided on theattachment 40 an outer baffle means generally designated 80 having anoutwardly, downwardly and rearwardly sloping portion 82 and a downwardlyextending portion 84. The portion 82 of outer baflle means 80 extendsfrom a position slightly forwardly of the front extremity of portion 74of inner bafile means 72 and thereabove to a position rearwardly of therearmost extremity of the portion 74 of inner bafile means 72. Theportion 84 of outer baffle means 80 is integral with the portion 82thereof and extends downwardly therefrom in spaced relationship to theportion 76 of inner baffie means 72 to a level substantially even withthe lower extremity of the latter and the bottom wall 52 of attachment40.

The outer baffle means 80 acts as an air scoop during rotation of theattachment 46 to create a relatively strong,

downwardly directed, artificial current of air which emanates from theouter bafile means 88 directly to the rear of the inner battle means 72.Accordingly, liquid spray being discharged in a generally downward andrearward direction by the inner baflle means 72, is picked up by thestrong, downwardly directed, artificial air current created by the outerbaffle means 80 and forcibly carried downwardly to the ground to whichsuch spray is to be applied.

The formation of the outer battle means 80 is such that the current ofair created thereby accomplishes. a substantially uniform distributionof the spray discharged from inner bafile means 72 upon the width of thestrip of ground being traversed by the mobile carriage 12, it beingnoted in this respect that the upper portion 82 of outer balfie means 80is somewhat broader at its forward extremity than at its rearwardextremity, and that the portion 84 of outer bafiie means 80 accordinglyslopes somewhat outwardly and downwardly at its front extremity whilebeing substantially vertical adjacent its rear extremity.

It will thus be apparent that the improved apparatus contemplated by thepresent invention is ideally adapted for accomplishing all of theabove-mentioned and other objects. It will be equally manifest, however,that certain minor modification and changes could be made from the exactdetails of construction of the preferred embodiment above described forpurposes of illustration without departing from the true spirit orintention of the invention. It should be understood therefore, that theinvention shall be deemed limited only by the scope of the claims thatfollow.

- Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A rotary, liquid spraying attachment comprising a body adapted to bemounted on a rotatable, vertical shaft for rotation with the latter andprovided with a liquid receiving, internal compartment having anoutwardly facing, outlet port through which liquid from the compartmentis dischargeable by centrifugal force; and battle means on the bodyadjacent the port, said bafile means including an inwardly facingportion spaced outwardly of the port and disposed in the path of travelof at least a part of the liquid being discharged from the port duringrotation of the body for changing said part of the liquid into a sprayand a downwardly facing, rearwardly extending portion integral with saidinwardly facing portion and disposed generally tangentially of thedirection of rotation of the attachment and in the path of travel of atleast a part of the liquid being discharged from the port for changingthe same into a spray and impelling the same downwardly.

2. In an attachment as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body isprovided with an annular, upwardly facing opening in communication withthe compartment for continuous admission of liquid to the compartmentduring rotation of the body from stationary liquid discharging meansextending from above the body, through the opening and into thecompartment.

3. A rotary, liquid spraying attachment comprising a body adapted to bemounted on a rotatable, vertical shaft for rotation with the latter andprovided with a liquid receiving, internal compartment having anoutwardly facing, outlet port through which liquid from the compartmentis dischargeable by centrifugal force; inner baflle means on the bodyfor rotation therewith and disposed in the path of travel of at least apart of the liquid discharged from the port during rotation of the bodyfor changing said part of the liquid into a spray upon impact therewith;and outer bafile means on the body for rotation therewith and disposedadjacent the inner baffie means and facing downwardly and generallytangentially of the direction of rotation of the body for creating adownwardly directed, artificial current of air to forcibly carry thespray downwardly.

4. In apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said inner bafile meansincludes an inwardly facing portion spaced outwardly of the port anddisposed in the path of travel of at least a part of the liquid beingdischarged from the port for changing said part of the liquid into aspray, and a portion integral with said inwardly facing portion,disposed between the latter and the body and facing downwardly andgenerally tangentially of the direction of rotation of the body anddisposed in the path of travel of at least apart of the liquid beingdischarged from the port for changing the same into a spray andimpelling the same downwardly.

5. In'apparatus as setforth in claim 4, wherein said compartment isdivided into an inner and an outer chamber, said chambers being incommunication with each other for flow by centrifugal force of liquidreceived by the inner chamber into the outer chamber, the port being incommunication with the outer chamber, there being a foraminous filteringscreen between the inner and the outercharnbers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS428,113 Layman May 20, 1890 990,335 Cantwell Apr. 25, 1911 1,751,531Schars Mar. 25, 1930 1,869,296 Beiler' "2... July 26, 1932 2,573,784Asbury Nov. 6, 195! 2,742,751 Laughlin Apr. 24, 1956 2,778,680 BonserJan. 22, 1957 2,784,033 Amberg Mar. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 662,303France Mar. 18, 1929 France Jan. 27, 1954

